State Representation:
Massachusetts
Small fishing villages and farms dotted the land and also the low-lying salty waters of Cape Cod on the Alantic
Coast. Many people were farmers, whalers, fishers, and shipbuilders.
Political Standpoint:
Anti-Federalist
Occupation/ Socio-economical background:
Mercy Warren was an accomplished essayist, historian,poet, and America's first female playwright. She was also born into a family with all boys. Her brother, James Otis, was noted for being a patriot/ lawyer and credited with the quote "taxtation without representation is tyranny". She attended a Harvard Commencement where she met and married James Warren of Plymouth Massachuetts. He was a prosperous merchant and farmer and together they had five children. He then went to be elected Massacheutts House of Representatives. The Warrens held meetings at thier home which were attended by many prominent revolutionary figures like John Adams and Samuel Adams.
Constitutional Convention:
Mercy was not a member of this constitution because it was the mid- 1700s where women could not attend meetings or give speeches dicussing her complaints. She was expected to take care of the house and children. Mercy was very much encouraged by her brother James who led her to use her writings to influence people and challenge the British government. Mercy also advised and influenced colonial leaders. So because Warren was a woman she could not participate in the Convention but that did not stop her. She used her husband to influence her ways in the convention which nearly ended the friendship between both Warrens and the Adams.
Ratification Convention:
Even though she was not part of the ratification of the Constitution because she was a woman, Mercy still got her point across when she wrote a pamphet called Observations on the New Constition in which it stated reasons of why the states should not ratify the new Constitution. Mercy's pamphet urged the framers of the Constition to add the Bill of Rights which promised the people that they had certain rights that the government could never take away. Before the Bill of Rights, if Mercy was part of the Convention, she would have voted against it, but after the Bill of Rights, she and her husband came to terms with it.
Arguments Against Constitution/ Friends/Foes:
She argues that man is born free with unalieanable rights and that government is only instituted for the protection, safety, and happiness of the people. All power is in the people that guards the life, liberty and proerty of the community. She also argues that the colonies should be left on its own so it can grow out of maturity instead of by Republicanism or democracy. She also argues that in creating a powerful government, excluding people's rights, this betrays the ideals of the Revolutionary. John Adams is considered a foe as well as a friend. Alexander Hamiliton. Thomas Jefferson. Samuel Adams. Patrick Henry. John Hancock.
Bibliography:
Gillis, Jennifer Bli. Mercy Otis Warren Author & Historian. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006. Sep. 20. Print.
"MHS Mercy Otis Warren Papers, 1709-1841 : Guide to the Microfilm Edition." Massachusetts Historical Society, an Independent Research Library Founded in 1791. 20 Sep. 2009 <http://www.masshist.org/findingaids/doc.cfm?fa=fa0235>.
Discipline. "JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie." JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. 20 Sep. 2009 <http://www.jstor.org/pss/1917481>.
Mercy Otis Warren
State Representation:
Massachusetts
Small fishing villages and farms dotted the land and also the low-lying salty waters of Cape Cod on the Alantic
Coast. Many people were farmers, whalers, fishers, and shipbuilders.
Political Standpoint:
Anti-Federalist
Occupation/ Socio-economical background:
Mercy Warren was an accomplished essayist, historian,poet, and America's first female playwright. She was also born into a family with all boys. Her brother, James Otis, was noted for being a patriot/ lawyer and credited with the quote "taxtation without representation is tyranny". She attended a Harvard Commencement where she met and married James Warren of Plymouth Massachuetts. He was a prosperous merchant and farmer and together they had five children. He then went to be elected Massacheutts House of Representatives. The Warrens held meetings at thier home which were attended by many prominent revolutionary figures like John Adams and Samuel Adams.
Constitutional Convention:
Mercy was not a member of this constitution because it was the mid- 1700s where women could not attend meetings or give speeches dicussing her complaints. She was expected to take care of the house and children. Mercy was very much encouraged by her brother James who led her to use her writings to influence people and challenge the British government. Mercy also advised and influenced colonial leaders. So because Warren was a woman she could not participate in the Convention but that did not stop her. She used her husband to influence her ways in the convention which nearly ended the friendship between both Warrens and the Adams.
Ratification Convention:
Even though she was not part of the ratification of the Constitution because she was a woman, Mercy still got her point across when she wrote a pamphet called Observations on the New Constition in which it stated reasons of why the states should not ratify the new Constitution. Mercy's pamphet urged the framers of the Constition to add the Bill of Rights which promised the people that they had certain rights that the government could never take away. Before the Bill of Rights, if Mercy was part of the Convention, she would have voted against it, but after the Bill of Rights, she and her husband came to terms with it.
Arguments Against Constitution/ Friends/Foes:
She argues that man is born free with unalieanable rights and that government is only instituted for the protection, safety, and happiness of the people. All power is in the people that guards the life, liberty and proerty of the community. She also argues that the colonies should be left on its own so it can grow out of maturity instead of by Republicanism or democracy. She also argues that in creating a powerful government, excluding people's rights, this betrays the ideals of the Revolutionary. John Adams is considered a foe as well as a friend. Alexander Hamiliton. Thomas Jefferson. Samuel Adams. Patrick Henry. John Hancock.
Bibliography:
"Mercy Otis Warren - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 20 Sep. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Otis_Warren>.
"MHS Mercy Otis Warren Papers, 1709-1841 : Guide to the Microfilm Edition." Massachusetts Historical Society, an Independent Research Library Founded in 1791. 20 Sep. 2009 <http://www.masshist.org/findingaids/doc.cfm?fa=fa0235>.
Discipline. "JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie." JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. 20 Sep. 2009 <http://www.jstor.org/pss/1917481>.